The PowerBASIC gazette has just announced upgrades for both of the 32bit PowerBASIC compilers for free. Just dig out your serial numbersand go to the PowerBASIC website and you can download both compilerupgrades in a few minutes.

The upgrades are for PBWIN version 9.2 to 9.3 and PBCC 5.2 to 5.3.

These are in fact very good compilers, SSE4 support, align directivefor code, ever increasing runtime library functionality in proceduraland OOP style programming while maintaining the legacy interface fortraditional basic. The current versions no longer require prototypes(DECLARE statements) for internal subs and functions and the onlyprototyping you need is for external functions like the Windows APIfunction set.

The external prototyping allows you to access the functionality of anyDLL you can find prototypes for, using MSVCRT functions is a routinelysimple task as PowerBASIC has a normal specification for C callingconvention functions.

of course you forgot to mention that these upgrades are really onlyavailable to "friends" of power basic NOT all registered users. As Ihave documented, despite being a registered user, and complaints filedwith agencies like BBB, the owner, Mr Zale, refuses to sell me PB9 orprovide me with access to the upgrades. As you know, I have been aregistered user for more than ten years, yet like many others on agrowing list of banned veterans, remain the target of petty vindictiveobsession.

powerbasic is without question a language that must remain frimly inthe category of "buyer beware".

Post by Mikeof course you forgot to mention that these upgrades are really onlyavailable to "friends" of power basic NOT all registered users.

Quite right.

I don't know about American law and justice, but when someone is denied toobtain a legal product in a legal way; isn't he then in his right to obtainthis product in an illegal way?

Sounds a bit strange to me that a company can do whatever they please to do,and leave a lawful customer behind with no rights at all, in a matter likethis.--

Post by MikeAs Ihave documented, despite being a registered user, and complaints filedwith agencies like BBB, the owner, Mr Zale, refuses to sell me PB9 orprovide me with access to the upgrades. As you know, I have been aregistered user for more than ten years, yet like many others on agrowing list of banned veterans, remain the target of petty vindictiveobsession.powerbasic is without question a language that must remain frimly inthe category of "buyer beware".

You already know the story on that one, you initiated a legal actionthrough the Florida BBB and LOST. PowerBASIC did nothing wrong and youfailed in your action against them. This restart of your campaign toabuse and foulmouth Bob Zale follows from your failure to dictate toPowerBASIC that they had to change their rules to suit you which isnever going to happen.

You know the type of imbecile you will get in a clapped out oldnewsgroup like this, do you really want one of these dickheads to spewyour guts all over Usenet if they don't like something you say ?Remember it was YOU who put your name and address and all of yourdetails in a BBB complaint and its all public record in Florida.

Time to move on Mike, get good at the C++ you were learning and hitthe market with it, PowerBASIC is a good tool technically but as youhave pissed that against the wall with your refusal to register withyour real name in their peer forum, use other tools, VC is by no meansa slouch if you bother to learn to write decent code in it and it isthe industry standard.

Post by OlavBut for how long will anyone of us be around? Powerbasic is dead end. BobZale is 63 years of age and I believe most of his customers is about 50-60years old.

Just for the record, I'm onyl 45. ;-)

Post by OlavWill Powerbasic be continued when BZ retire himself or should pass away?Remeber that PB is a one man project and that this is the main drawback withthe company and its products.

Well, I'm not too worried about that ...

* I'm not sure if it's really a one man project.

* Even if it is, it will probably continue anyway, maybe under a differentbrand name ... just like many projects that originated from Borland.

* Coming from (and still broadly using) MS VB6 I experienced that even acompany like MS has a hard time declaring one of their own products dead -they tried almost everything (since 10 years now) but it's still more vividthan they'd like it to be. A great tool isn't "dead end" even if itsproducers claim otherwise.

Post by OlavWill Powerbasic be continued when BZ retire himself or should passaway? Remeber that PB is a one man project and that this is the maindrawback with the company and its products.

Well, I'm not too worried about that ...* I'm not sure if it's really a one man project.

No info either way AFAIK.

Post by Wolfgang Enzinger* Even if it is, it will probably continue anyway, maybe under adifferent brand name ... just like many projects that originated fromBorland.

Actually, PB started with Mr. Zale as BASIC/Z. See the Wikipedia entries forPowerBASIC and Turbo Basic for a very, very short history.

Post by Wolfgang Enzinger* Coming from (and still broadly using) MS VB6 I experienced that even acompany like MS has a hard time declaring one of their own products dead- they tried almost everything (since 10 years now) but it's still morevivid than they'd like it to be. A great tool isn't "dead end" even ifits producers claim otherwise.

If it truly is a "one man project" as claimed, then its *development*probably will end when Mr. Zale does. (Its *use* won't.) Of course, if thecompany folds when he demises, someone might write a PB-compatible compiler,or add the language to an existing one (like FreeBASIC).

Yeah yeah, but what will you be using with 1024 bit Windows Universeand will it still work with the future 4096 bit Windows Multiverse ? Igave up predicting the future a long time ago but you tend to baseyour view of the future on the past and so far Bob Zale has outlasteda vast number of competitors. Since I doubt that many other vendorspublish their views on their successors, I would not hold your breathwaiting for an answer.

Olav, I have not used a debugger in years, the last one I liked camewirth MASM 6.0 in 1991. In high level code they are more often thannot useless. Softice was an OK tool in its time, less so its successorDriver Studio and its now a dead product line. Have a play withOllyDebug or one of the Microsoft ones.

Post by hutch--Yeah yeah, but what will you be using with 1024 bit Windows Universeand will it still work with the future 4096 bit Windows Multiverse ?

I'll keep using my 2^N-bit computers as long as they still work. (Got myApple //c right here...) I'll move to 2^N+1 only if necessary (for example,I'll probably still be using 32-bit Windows when I get a 64-bit processor).

Post by hutch--I gave up predicting the future a long time ago but you tend to baseyour view of the future on the past and so far Bob Zale has outlasteda vast number of competitors. Since I doubt that many other vendorspublish their views on their successors, I would not hold your breathwaiting for an answer.

I'm far more interested in PB staying around for the rest of my lifetime thananything else.

Post by hutch--Olav, I have not used a debugger in years, the last one I liked camewirth MASM 6.0 in 1991.

Why have you posted this message as a response to my message and not to toMike's initial message? Remeber that Bob Zale and his friends always dothings the right way!

Me not understand.

Btw, as the assembler guru you are; do you have the answer on how to readthe staus of the cpu's various staus flag based on the information given bythe debugger? Seehttp://groups.google.no/group/comp.lang.basic.powerbasic/browse_thread/thread/9555156866b81f48?hl=no#

Thnak you very much!--Olav

Post by hutch--Mike,You already know the story on that one, you initiated a legal actionthrough the Florida BBB and LOST. PowerBASIC did nothing wrong and youfailed in your action against them. This restart of your campaign toabuse and foulmouth Bob Zale follows from your failure to dictate toPowerBASIC that they had to change their rules to suit you which isnever going to happen.You know the type of imbecile you will get in a clapped out oldnewsgroup like this, do you really want one of these dickheads to spewyour guts all over Usenet if they don't like something you say ?Remember it was YOU who put your name and address and all of yourdetails in a BBB complaint and its all public record in Florida.Time to move on Mike, get good at the C++ you were learning and hitthe market with it, PowerBASIC is a good tool technically but as youhave pissed that against the wall with your refusal to register withyour real name in their peer forum, use other tools, VC is by no meansa slouch if you bother to learn to write decent code in it and it isthe industry standard.Regards,hutch

Hutch,Since you cannot refute any of the facts I have stated (banned users,deleted threads, underhanded deals, petty tirades of retribution likepreventing registered users from upgrading, etc etc) you seek to mis-state events instead. This is an astoundingly poor idea from a brightguy like you.

FACT:I filed a COMPLAINT with BBB in Florida (as I encourage more people todo) because Mr Zale refused to sell me PB( despite being a registereduser for 10 years. He continues to assert that he can do anything hepleases and does not have to sell anything to a "trouble maker" likeme.

FACTMr Zale responded to my BBB complaint by lying (he stated I was notbanned from the powerbasic site). We assume he is too ashamed to ownup to his continual banning of perfectly nice members of thepowerbasic forum when he takes issue with some minor criticism.

FACTpowerbasic forces all users to use their full real name despite thebest advice from internet security consultants not to do so.

FACTMr Zale allows users (two that we know of, myself and Wayne Diamond)to use a handle in the face of this policy, only to rescind thepermission when he takes issue with a users post pn the forum (oranywhere for that matter)

FACTMr Zale will act behind the scenes to have users banned on otherforums (Jose Roca's in my case) where the admins are too spineless tostand up to him.

FACTThe issues you keep raising were dealt with by the BBB and you LOST.

FACTPowerBASIC require members to join using their real name. Like it orlump it.

FACTOnus of proof lies with the person making the assertion, in case youmissed it, you LOST the BBB case.

FACTOther internet venues don't like being used for your personal vendettaagainst Bob Zale.

Get over it Mike, you make yourself look like a whining pregnantschoolgirl with ths childish campaign when the simple facts are youare WRONG and this is proven because you LOST the BBB case. I don'tknow how you can keep pissing your time and money against the wallwhen you could be out there making a buck.

Does this mean you don't read Mike's bleatings either ? He has alreadytold his reading Audience that its the Better Business Bureau inFlorida State USA. I have tried to warn Mike that his vendetta againstBob Zale will end up seeing his guts spilled all over the internet ashe had to supply his full name, address and contact details to fillout the complaint against PowerBASIC and all of this stuff is onpublic record.

I have read enough to fully support him against Robert Stanley Zale. I knowfrom my own experience that RSZ is an mean and evil psychopath.And as far Ihave understood it; RSZ have had the knowledge of Mike's real name from thebeginning. Zale knows his real identity but require Mike to cry out hisidentity all over the internet, which is something Mike isn't toocomfortable with. I'm not able to see what's wrong with having such afeeling for just that. It is pretty foolish to cry out your identity on theinternet.

I'm happy Zale isn't my daily supplier of milk and bread. He would havedenied me to buy these articles if I wasn't willing to tell him myphonenumber. You know, his rules.....--

Post by hutch--FACTYou started a lewgal action against PowerBASIC and LOST.

INCORRECT. If you dont believe me Hutch, just contact the BBB foryourself. They dont do legal actions. Period

Post by hutch--FACTThe issues you keep raising were dealt with by the BBB and you LOST.

INCORRECT. You can't "lose" a complaint. The BBB elected not to reducepowerbasics rating because they believed his response, which if youwould like me to quote it verbatim, contains lies.

Post by hutch--FACTPowerBASIC require members to join using their real name. Like it orlump it.

TRUE. with the caveat that MR Zale allows "friends" to use a handlethus making a mockery of the rule.

Post by hutch--FACTOnus of proof lies with the person making the assertion, in case youmissed it, you LOST the BBB case.

INCORRECT. This is not an adjudicated matter it is a complaint.I wasunable to convince the BBB that I powerbasic treats its customers in away that warrents a public warning.

Post by hutch--FACTOther internet venues don't like being used for your personal vendettaagainst Bob Zale.

TRUE. and so?

Post by hutch--Why don't you ask Mike (Ex T) what his full name is ? It would saveyou having to look it up in the Florida BBB proceedings. :)

INCORRECT. Unlike the mockery of a privacy policy that powerbasicpurports to have, the BBB actually stands behind theirs. Acomplainenants poersonal information is private, not public. mostpeople regard their personal information as something that they do notplaster all over the internet. That's foolhardy at best.

Post by hutch--I have no clue what BBB stands for.Does this mean you don't read Mike's bleatings either ? He has alreadytold his reading Audience that its the Better Business Bureau inFlorida State USA. I have tried to warn Mike that his vendetta againstBob Zale will end up seeing his guts spilled all over the internet

I leave that to someone like you who has continued to personallyattack Bob Zale because you refuse to abide by the published rules ofhis forum. Remember Mike, it is YOU who is attacking Bob Zale and itis YOU who has continued this childish vendetta against him byrepeated making accusations that you cannot verify.

Tell us Mike, what are the special privileges you expect fromPowerBASIC that no-one else is supposed to have ? With a forum of manymembers what makes you so special that you expect to be treateddifferently to everyone else ?

Same old sh*t still stinks Mike, you started the action and failed andas a consequence you have continued to foulmouth Bob Zale for a longperiod after your failure. The bottom line is you were WRONG and yourfailure proves you were WRONG.

You may have this notion of special privileges over other people butthe rest of the world does not share it. Remember that it is YOU whocontinues a personal vendetta against Bob Zale yet you expect yourpersonal details to be immune from the same criticism that you keepspewing about. Then there is the blatant double standard you keeptrying to inflict on other people, not only your view of your ownspecial privileges over and above all of the other members of thatforum but your special privileges about your identity while directlyattacking Bob Zale personally.

Using inverse threats against me is like pissing into the wind, Idon't live in the US, I am not subject to its jurisdiction and I don'tgive a flying PHUK how you see it, if you are not willing to respectBob Zale like any other human being, then you are the same free kickas you see him to be.

I have tried to warn you that it is YOU who has put your arse on thechopping block by this enduring melodrama in your vendetta against BobZale. Most people don't give a stuff either way but as you insist onraising the issue over and over again, feel free to receive anyblowlack that can follow from your persistence with this childishvendetta. If you don't respect another persons privacy, they have noreason to respect yours.

Wow, you visit this place pretty frequently it seems. I thought youregarded this venue as a "sewer". Why are you here so often?

You have a reputation for long forum wars Hutch, I think we are allwondering if you don't just enjoy getting down in the dirt and rollingaround a little. There's a lot more of it if you want.

It must be to defend Mr Zale (who if course is notably absent). Why isthat?Why do you feel so compelled to go to these lengths?

Perhaps its his "show stopping" product powerbasic, for which mostdevelopers that use it are willing to overlook the most egregioustransgressions and continue on blindly supporting him just so long ashe provides the next fix for their junky addiction to a smallcompiler?

Or perhaps you admire his track record; the litany of lying, behindthe scenes actions, deleting threads because they offend his him,banning users because they dare talk back?

What is it Hutch, we are dying to know?

My personal information is private. The ONLY place it can come from ispowerbasic. So if Mr Zale sends it to you and you "plaster it all overthe internet" as you threaten to do, you will provide proof positivethat anyone giving their personal information to powerbasic is takingtheir life in their hands.

Is that what you want to prove?

Post by hutch--Tell us Mike, what are the special privileges you expect fromPowerBASIC

I will answer your question. I expect to be treated as MR Zalepersonally agreed to treat mea) when I bought the product and it was all love and smilesb) when I called, and he PERSONALLY gave me his word I could continueto use my handle (that I had already been using for 6 years)

I may be old fashioned, but I expect someone to live up to theiragreements. Thats what respectable people do. They honor their wordand they say what they mean, and mean what they say.

What I don't expect is to be banned for asking to see the list of bugfixes in an update (circa 2006) have my threads deleted and mypersonal information sent to the admins of other sites. You will haveto decide of that is reasonable or not.

Post by hutch--forum but your special privileges about your identity while directlyattacking Bob Zale personally.

My "attacks" are a simple stating of the truth. The facts. Nothingmore. I can back up every accusation I have made with Mr Zales ownwords, heck let me do it now...

"... has included numerous insults anddisingenuous remarks, the real issue here is simply the two items hesays will satisfy his complaint. Everything else is superfluous. Hewants:

1- Product support (including unbanning Mike Trader from the forum).2- Processing his order for PB/WIN Version 9.

He has full and complete access to product support fromPowerBASIC, Inc. Most technical support from PowerBASIC isabsolutely free, which is very unusual these days. Some types ofsupport (such as questions about products not sold by PowerBASIC,writing custom programs or correcting errors in custom programs) arenot free, as completely described on our web site. He has full andcomplete access to our technical support. He has never been refusedassistance on a product purchased in the past.

Since the PowerBASIC Forums are the privateproperty of PowerBASIC Inc., we believe we have the right toestablish reasonable rules for the benefit of everyoneconcerned. He is not banned from using our forums. Evenfurther, the false identity "Mike Trader" is not banned from usingour forums, but we reserve the right to do so if he continues tobreak our simple rules.

That's from the "horses mouth". Mr Zale in his own words. Would youlike me to quote my complaint?

I do not have access to the forums, I am BANNED. So who's lying andwho's attacking who here?

I have been the victim of a a vicious campaign by Mr Zale. I have beenbanned from Jose Rocas forum on his request, banned from thepowerbasic forum, had my agreement to use my handle rescinded anddenied the right I paid for when I bought the compiler to upgrade theproduct.

That feels like an attack on me Hutch. Stating these facts in the onlyplace beyond the reach of Mr Zale's delete button is possibly thelowest level of response.

Post by MikeThat feels like an attack on me Hutch. Stating these facts in the onlyplace beyond the reach of Mr Zale's delete button is possibly thelowest level of response.

Then stop "feeling" and start thinking, it is an attack by YOU on BobZale, Tom Hanlin, Jose Roca and anybody else you "feel" likeslandering and we all know you FAILED in your BBB complaint.

Lets look at some of your attempts to rake up filth to spew at thesepeople.http://www.codingmonkeys.com/index.php?topic=1949.0

Now here is the problem, you hide behind a bullsh*t name spewing sh*tat other people while maintaining your anonymity because of theirgoodwill in not spewing your guts all over the internet as you aretrying to do to them.

In doing so you are attacking a small American Company that has tosurvive in the face of massive corporations and you are trying to doit by damaging their export capacity among other things. The onlysolution is to level the playing field and deal with you in the samemanner as you try and deal with them.

I have tried to reason with you so you can move on and do some workthat you can earn your living from but you cannot be reasoned with,you just keep spewing sh*t at Bob Zale and anyone else that won't helpyou in this nasty shitty little vendetta that you are conducting.

Mark my words here, I don't make threats, I make promises and if youdon't start to treat these people you have continued to slander as youwant to be treated yourself, then I will act to level the playingfield.

Ball is in your court Mike (......), do you really want to try spewingsh*t on a level playing field ?

Not going to trade insults with you Hutch, sorry its pointless. If youdo "spill my guts" all over the internet the trail will lead straightback to Mr Zale either directly or through a third party. Is thissupposed to terrify me? Do you think that you will have struck avictorious blow for powerbasic? Do you think this is going to stop medead in my tracks?

What do you think someone considering powerbasic will think afterreading this thread and then the huge revelation that Mike Trader isin fact Mike Smith of south Bend, Indiana? Do you really think anyonecares?

Whatever pathetic gratification that may give you and Mr Zale willwither like yesterdays newspaper, but I guarantee you the falloutwon't.

Regardless, there's a question on the table that you have notanswered. Since I have answered all yours, perhaps you would like toexplain why you feel so driven to fight someone else's battle? I don'thave a beef with you, its with powerbasic. So whats the deal Hutch?WHy have you decided to become powerbasic's self appointed, one maninternet Gestapo? Don't you have better things to do with all that ASMtalent?

Post by MikeRegardless, there's a question on the table that you have notanswered. Since I have answered all yours, perhaps you would like toexplain why you feel so driven to fight someone else's battle? I don'thave a beef with you, its with powerbasic. So whats the deal Hutch?WHy have you decided to become powerbasic's self appointed, one maninternet Gestapo? Don't you have better things to do with all that ASMtalent?

Apart from your analysis, its called a "level playing field" and ifyou persist in attacking people I have known for years with yourendless bullsh*t, I will act to level the playing field. Without youhiding behind a bullsh*t alias the field levels out and what you docomes at a price. So far you can track the revelations back to youfrom your own postings here about the BBB in Florida and where thereis smoke there is fire, I doubt that its hard to find out anythingelse you have done in Florida.

You have yet to learn the lesson that enough is enough. Spewing sh*tin an anonymous coward's castle is an option that will be removed fromyou shortly if you persist in foulmouthing people I have known foryears.

I am yet to understand why you waste your time foulmouthing a wholeheap of people when you could be making a buck doing some work instead.

Answer the question Hutch. Why you fighting someone else's fight?If you want some thing to get all bent out of shape about there areplenty in the world worthy of your righteous indignation. This justisn't one of them. So lets hear it.

You delude yourself if you think I am accountable to you. I well knowwhat you are trying to do, stacking publically available informationwith filth about a number of people I know and by doing this youassume that you can force them to act on your terms. It is never goingto happen as the evidence is against you and like it or not, you arenobody's judge and jury.

I have tried to give you the benefit of the doubt and tried to reasonwith you over your own appalling conduct but the bottom line is if youcontinue your campaign of slander against a number of people I willpublich whatever is necessary to allow people to make up their ownmind about the filth you keep spewing against a number of people.

So far from information you have posted here I have found that yourcomplaint against PowerBASIC through the Florida BBB failed and bydoing so it means they have rejected your assertions, something thatreflects on your credibility very badly and to rub it in, PowerBASIChave an "A" rating with the Florida BBB "AFTER" your complaint. Thattells any objective person that your assertions are simply bullsh*t.

You may be "all bent up outa shape" over your failure to dictate yourassertions to the BBB but that is finally your problem, no-one elses.Your problems are self imposed, you refuse to register in thePowerBASIC forum with your real name and after you were kicked out youhave tried to force PowerBASIC to change its policy just for you. Holdyour breath waiting. :)

Hutch, now you have gone too far.http://groups.google.com/group/alt.lang.powerbasic/browse_thread/thread/ee9ea2822556e4d8#

I have retained a solicitor in Sydney. If you do not withdraw thisthreat immediately, he is instructed to begin civil proceedingsagainst you. He assures me Australian law has provisions for this, andyou will need to answer for it in New South Wales State Court.

As I have already stated, my complaints about powerbasic have nothingwhatsoever to do with you. If powerbasic wishes to respond here, theyare free to do so. While you may have the right to express youropinion in one of the only places on the internet where no one candelete threads or remove posts (truly a level playing field), you maynot threaten to divulge personal information (however it is gathered)in your efforts to prevent anyone else doing the same.

I may be wrong, but I suspect a judge is going to wonder why you arewilling to go to the matt for a small software company in anothercountry if you are not acting directly at their behest or as theiragent. To this end, powerbasic may also need to answer for youractions, as I don't think it will be very hard for a US Judge toconnect the dots.

I have tried to respond to you respectfully in these threads, and haveexplained in detailhttp://groups.google.ca/group/comp.lang.basic.powerbasic/browse_thread/thread/fc8fd730f010387a#why I use a handle on the internet, as millions of perfectlyrespectable people do every day. Your relentless online campaigns arelegendary, and well documented, so it will not be hard to show apattern here, especially when others devote a web whole web to warnpeople about you (http://www.asmcommunity.net/hutch/).

This is nothing more than a dirty trick in lieu of valid argument. Youhave clearly crossed the line.